Join the community in downtown Lynden, WA for the 3rd Annual Billy Waples Day. Billy Waples is one of Lynden’s founding fathers will be honored on Sunday, May 6, from noon to 5 p.m. and the community is invited to join the celebration.
The festivities will include free chowder and bread from Avenue Bread, giveaways and promotions by Village Books, Drizzle, and Bellingham Baby Company, tours of the Inn at Lynden and live music and a beer garden hosted by Overflow Taps. The Lynden Fire Department will also be making an appearance.
Guests who pick up the Passport to Prizes at any one of the merchants and get it stamped are eligible to spin the wheel for a chance at a multitude of prizes and entrance to a grand prize drawing that includes a two night stay at the Inn at Lynden, and “Billy Bucks” – $5 coupons that can be used as cash for goods from any merchants inside the Waples Mercantile Building.
“Billy Waples was a visionary in Lynden,” said Matt Treat. “His original enterprise was The Lynden Department Store and he was known for offering free chowder feeds and providing “scrip” to help carry the community through the Great Depression.” The annual celebration of W.H. “Billy” Waples (1875-1962) was initiated three years ago by Matt and Teri Treat, and Jeff and Debbie McClure, co-owners of the Inn at Lynden, and the Waples Mercantile Building retailers.
“Our complimentary cups of chowder and Billy Bucks “scrip” are a tribute to his great generosity,” said Matt Treat. “Mr. Waples’ department store carried a wide variety of goods and the unique collection of businesses here today, all under the one roof he built on Front Street, continue his legacy in Lynden.”
Mr. Waples owned the Lynden Mill & Light Company, which operated a lumber mill in town and was responsible for bringing electric lighting to the city’s streets. In addition, he was a driving force in bringing the first railroad to Lynden and establishing the Lynden Fair.
The 35-room Inn at Lynden opened its doors December 2015 in the century-old Waples Mercantile Building in Lynden’s historic downtown district. Eight years prior, the building was almost completely destroyed by fire damage. Today, the historic structure balances luxury, style and comfort with many tributes that honor Lynden’s rich history, and is one of only a handful of hotels in Washington State on the National Registry of Historic Places. The Inn shares space with a number of boutique retailers including Village Books and Paper Dreams, Drizzle Olive Oil and Vinegar Tasting Room, Bellingham Baby Company, Overflow Taps and Avenue Bread.